UPSC Prelims 2013 Question Paper & Analysis
Get the UPSC Prelims Previous Year Question (PYQ) Paper with subject-wise trends, difficulty analysis, and detailed model answers — including diagrams, flowcharts, and structured writing for GS.
Subject-wise MCQ Distribution
Difficulty Analysis
Type of questions
Key Insights
- Environment & Ecology, Indian Polity, Economy carried the highest weightage, together accounting for 51% of the paper.
- The paper strongly favoured statement-based questions — multi-statement and assertion-reasoning questions together made up 56% of the paper, making careful reading and elimination especially important.
- The paper was largely easy to moderate in difficulty, with 78% of questions falling in the easy or medium range and only 22% classified as hard.
- Questions were spread across 11 subject areas, making broad syllabus coverage important rather than relying on a few traditionally dominant subjects.
- The question format demanded more than direct recall, with only 44% of questions being direct, while most required evaluating multiple statements or reasoning through assertions.
PYQs with Detailed Answers
- View Answer for: Consider the following organisms: Agaricus Nostoc SpirogyraWhich of the above is/are used as biofertilizer/biofertilizers?
Consider the following organisms:
- Agaricus
- Nostoc
- Spirogyra
Which of the above is/are used as biofertilizer/biofertilizers?
- View Answer for: Which of the following leaf modifications occurs/occur in desert areas to inhibit water loss? Hard and waxy leaves Tiny leaves or no leaves Thorns instead of leavesSelect the correct answer using the codes given below.
Which of the following leaf modifications occurs/occur in desert areas to inhibit water loss?
- Hard and waxy leaves
- Tiny leaves or no leaves
- Thorns instead of leaves
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
- View Answer for: With reference to food chains in ecosystems, consider the following statements : A food chain illustrates the order in which a chain of organisms feeds upon each other. Food chains are found within the populations of a species. A food chain illustrates the numbers of each organism which are eaten by others.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to food chains in ecosystems, consider the following statements :
- A food chain illustrates the order in which a chain of organisms feeds upon each other.
- Food chains are found within the populations of a species.
- A food chain illustrates the numbers of each organism which are eaten by others.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- View Answer for: Which one among the following industries is the maximum consumer of water in India?
Which one among the following industries is the maximum consumer of water in India?
- View Answer for: Contour bunding is a method of soil conservation used in
Contour bunding is a method of soil conservation used in
- View Answer for: Consider the following fauna of India: Gharial Leatherback turtle Swamp deerWhich of the above is/are endangered?
Consider the following fauna of India:
- Gharial
- Leatherback turtle
- Swamp deer
Which of the above is/are endangered?
- View Answer for: Consider the following pairs: Protected areas|Region -- |-- 1. Nokrek Biosphere Reserve|Garo Hills 2. Logtak (Loktak) Lake|Barail Range 3. Namdapha National Park|Dafla HillsWhich of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Consider the following pairs:
Protected areas Region 1. Nokrek Biosphere Reserve Garo Hills 2. Logtak (Loktak) Lake Barail Range 3. Namdapha National Park Dafla Hills Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
- View Answer for: Consider the following: Star tortoise Monitor lizard Pygmy Hog Spider monkeyWhich of the above are found in India?
Consider the following:
- Star tortoise
- Monitor lizard
- Pygmy Hog
- Spider monkey
Which of the above are found in India?
- View Answer for: Consider the following pairs about parks and rivers passing through them: Corbett National Park: Ganga Kaziranga National Park: Manas Silent Valley National Park: KaveriWhich of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Consider the following pairs about parks and rivers passing through them:
- Corbett National Park: Ganga
- Kaziranga National Park: Manas
- Silent Valley National Park: Kaveri
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
- View Answer for: Which one of the following is the correct sequence of ecosystems in the order of decreasing productivity?
Which one of the following is the correct sequence of ecosystems in the order of decreasing productivity?
- View Answer for: In which of the following States is lion-tailed macaque found in its natural habitat? Tamil Nadu Kerala Karnataka Andhra PradeshSelect the correct answer using the codes given below.
In which of the following States is lion-tailed macaque found in its natural habitat?
- Tamil Nadu
- Kerala
- Karnataka
- Andhra Pradesh
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
- View Answer for: Which one of the following terms describes not only the physical space occupied by an organism but also its functional role in the community of organisms?
Which one of the following terms describes not only the physical space occupied by an organism but also its functional role in the community of organisms?
- View Answer for: Due to improper/indiscriminate disposal of old and used computers or their parts, which of the following are released into the environment as e-waste? Beryllium Cadmium Chromium Heptachlor Mercury Lead PlutoniumSelect the correct answer using the codes given below.
Due to improper/indiscriminate disposal of old and used computers or their parts, which of the following are released into the environment as e-waste?
- Beryllium
- Cadmium
- Chromium
- Heptachlor
- Mercury
- Lead
- Plutonium
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
- View Answer for: Which of the following adds/add nitrogen to the soil? Excretion of urea by animals Burning of coal by man Death of vegetationSelect the correct answer using the codes given below.
Which of the following adds/add nitrogen to the soil?
- Excretion of urea by animals
- Burning of coal by man
- Death of vegetation
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
- View Answer for: Acid rain is caused by the pollution of the environment by -
Acid rain is caused by the pollution of the environment by -
- View Answer for: Photochemical smog is a resultant of the reaction among -
Photochemical smog is a resultant of the reaction among -
- View Answer for: With reference to the food chains in ecosystems, which of the following kinds of an organism is/are known as decomposer organism/organisms? Virus Fungi BacteriaSelect the correct answer using the codes given below.
With reference to the food chains in ecosystems, which of the following kinds of an organism is/are known as decomposer organism/organisms?
- Virus
- Fungi
- Bacteria
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
- View Answer for: Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some parts of India? Arsenic Sorbitol Fluoride Formaldehyde UraniumSelect the correct answer using the codes given below.
Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some parts of India?
- Arsenic
- Sorbitol
- Fluoride
- Formaldehyde
- Uranium
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
- View Answer for: In the grasslands, trees do not replace the grasses as a part of an ecological succession because of
In the grasslands, trees do not replace the grasses as a part of an ecological succession because of
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